Engineers of PVEP and Algeria at the operation centre of Bir Seba oil field (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) –Vietnam and Algeria have enjoyed sound traditional friendship over the past sixdecades, Algerian Ambassador to Vietnam Boubazine Abdelhamid said in an interview granted to Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Vietnam-Algeria diplomatic relations.
Vietnam recognised theprovisional government of the Algerian Republic on September 26, 1958, one weekafter its establishment announcement, he noted. The bilateral diplomaticrelations, which were established in 1962, have been expanded to economic,technical and financial cooperation, said the diplomat.
He held that the 12th meeting of the Vietnam-Algeria Joint Committee in December will create new momentumfor bilateral partnership after two years of COVID-19.
The ambassador said thatthe organisation of the third political consultation between the two ForeignMinistries in May was a good start for the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the bilateral ties. He also highlighted a number of activitiesthat the Algerian Embassy plans for the rest of this year on the occasion.
However, he said that the economic partnership between the two countries has yetto match their sound political relations and potential. Two-way trade reachedonly 265.54 million USD last year, with Algeria’s imports hitting 231.57million USD, he noted. He recognised Vietnam’s efforts in balancing bilateraltrade by encouraging domestic firms to further explore the Algerian market toseek more opportunities in trading of farm produce, minerals and other crudematerials.
Algerian Ambassador to Vietnam Boubazine Abdelhamid (Photo: VNA)He stressed the need forboth sides to renovate and update the legal framework for bilateral partnershipto boost trade and investment ties.
The Algerian diplomatic hailed socio-economic achievements that Vietnam hasgained over the years, with great success in agriculture and industry.
Vietnam is now one of themost opened economies in the world with about 70 trade agreements, with exportrevenue reaching a record of 668.5 billion USD last year, and foreign direct investmentamounting to 395 billion USD, he noted, asserting that the figures showed that thecountry is on a right way to prosperity.
The diplomat also sharedhis love for Vietnam as well as the country’s traditional martial art(Vovinam).
He affirmed that Vietnamis a model for the combination of traditional and modern features,describing the country as a tree with strong roots and countless risingbranches./.
